Squaring device



March 26, 1957 s. SHAW V 72,786,432

SQUARING DEVICE "Fiied Sept. 21, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .42 /Am INVENTOR. W BY .57ANLE) 5H4W( March 26, 1957 Filed Sept. 21; 1953 s.- SHAW SQUARING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. STANLE) SHAW 71- ro R NA r:

March-26, 1957 s. SHAW SQ UARING 'DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 21. 1953 m vm-uhn INVENTOR. 4 7HNEY SHAW A T TORNEYJ DEVICE Stanley Shaw, Hayward, Califi, assignor to United Can &

Glass Company, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application September 21, 1953,- Serial No. 381,238 6 Claims. 01. 113*11') The invention disclosed herein relates to the art of making cans and more specifically to amachineforforming the body portion of a can.

In the forming of can bodies, a conventional practice has been to feed pre-cut blanks of sheet material into a forming born or mandrel over, which they are wrapped by forming wings operable to bring the ends. of the blank together along a seam line parallel to the axis of the mandrel. The meeting edges of each blankare interfolded and'clinched together by a suitable clinching mechanism'. To form a useable can body, the ends of eachlongitudinal edge of a blank must be rolled into exact-registry with the opposite end at the line of the seam, so that the edges will define planes normal to the axis of the mandrel and form a square can, that is, a can. having ends exactly parallel and at right angles to the axis of the can.

One of the problems encountered in conventionalpractice has been to feed the blanks to the mandrel in accurate alignment. A slight canting of a blank in either direction as it is. fed onto the mandrel will cause the meeting corners to be slightly offset with the result that a high point will be formed at each end of the can body, and the end edges will not. define planes but will be at a slight angle to the normal planes which they should occupy. End. closures cannot be properly seatedand seamed onto such. bodies, and hence such bodies arouseless andinvolve a material item of waste.

It is among the objects of. this. inventionto provide a mechanism by which the blanks are held in accurate alignmentas they are shaped by the body forming mechanism.

Another object is. to provide a device which may be attached to can formingmachines of conventionalconstruction, for improving their operation and minimizing waste due to misforming. of cans, without alteringthe machines or aifecting their operation inother respects.

The invention has other objects and features of advan tage, some of which with the foregoing will:be explained in the following description of that form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front view of a can body formingmachine embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a halfplan view of the machine shown in Fig. l, with the operating head and forming. wings removed, showing the left side of the machine only.

Fig. 3 isan elevational view of the left side ofthe machine shown in Fig. l, certain portions thereof being broken away in order to reveal details of members hidden therebehind.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view takenon lines 44.of.Fig. 1 showing the details of the spring-pressed detent used to retain the squaring device in its operative position.

The can forming machine consists of a bed having.

attached to the forwardend thereof a forming mandrel 11 aboutwhich the can bodies are to be formed. Above the forming mandrel, and reciprocated by'means not.

shown, is a clamping head 12 having mounted at the lower portion thereof a clamping member 13. Pivotally 2,786,432 Patented Mar. 26, 1957 attached to the clamping, head 12 are two forming wings 14 and 15. These wings are actuated, for example, by reciprocation of the rod 16 pivotally attached to the forming wing 14 by a pin 17. Rods 16 are reciprocated by: means not shown. Below the forming mandrel is a bumper, or crimping member 18, said bumper'member being reeip'roqated toward and away from said mandrel by means not shown. The purpose of said bumper will be explained later on herein. A vertical plate 19 is attached to the bed ofthe mach-ine with its inner vertical surface 20 adjacent the rear end of the forming mandrel.

11. The upper edge of the plate 19 is coplanar with the upper surface of the bed 10.

Attached to the frame of the body forming machine,

adjacent the front end and to one side of the formingsomewhat crescent shaped plate 27 having an inner sur face 28 parallelto the surface 20 of the vertical plate 19. By means of the nuts 25 and. 26 the distance between these surfaces maybe adjusted to be exactly: equal to the height of. the can body being. formed.

Fixedly secured to the outer surface of the plate 27 and extending perpendicular thereto is a bracket29 having a horizontal transverse aperture extending therethrough.

Extending through said aperture for pivotal movement thereinis a shaft 30, said shaft being threaded on each end to receive two retaining nuts 31 and 32, and said nuts being'provided with set screws46 and 47 respectively to prevent unthreading of said nuts when in their adjusted position. Mounted on the shaft 30" is a bracket. 33 separated from bracket 29 by means of a washer 48. Fixedly attached to the lower portion of bracket 33 is an arm extending inwardly below bracket 29 in a. direction parallel to the axis of the pivot shaft 30. A threaded apertureextends through said arm. Threaded into said aperture is an adjustment stud 35 having the end thereof in contact withthe outer face of the plate 27, whereby the regular position of: the bracket 33 may be adjusted.

As bestjshown in Fig. l, the upper end of the bracket 33-has1the inner corner cutaway to form a seat for a guide member 36'. Said guide member is held'in said seat by means of two cap screws 37 extending through apertures provided inv the bracket 33 and threaded into holes 49"provided in guide member 36. In Fig. 3 it can be seen that four equally spaced holes are provided, whereby the guide 36 maybe moved longitudinally with respect to the bracket 33 and secured in a plurality of different positions.

The inner face of the guide 36 has formed therein a slot 38 for receiving the side edges of a can body blank in a manner more fully described later, the rearward endof said slot being tapered outwardly as shown at 50 in Fig. 3 to facilitate the entry of the can body blank into the slot.

Fixed to the frame of the machine adjacent the vertical pivot post 21 is. a U-shaped bracket 39, as shown in Fig. 4. The bracket 39 is adapted to receive within the open position of the U the arm 22 supporting the plate 27. Adjacent said bracket the arm 21 has formed in the lower surface thereof a spherical depression 43 adapted to receive a ball detent 41 which is mounted in a recess40 inthe lower leg of. the U-shaped member and 3 urged upwardly by means of a spring 42, whereby the arm 22 is restrained in its operative position. However, if there should be a jam in the machine, the plate 27 ='can be forced outwardly away from the machine, overcoming the restraining force of the detent ball 41.

A similar detent 44 is provided for maintaining the guide 36 in its adjusted position perpendicular to the surface 28 of the plate 27. This detent is provided since it is evident that if the plate 27 should be swung on its arm 22 about the pivot shaft 21, the guide 36 would be swung into line with and below the forming wing 14. If the wing 14 were to be operated with the guide in this position and the guide were rigidly mounted, either the wing 14 or the guide would be broken. However, by providing the pivotal mounting for the guide 36 and having a spring-pressed detent such as 44, if the guide is struck by the forming wing 14, it merely overcomes the restraining force of the detent 44 and is pivoted downwardly about its pivot shaft 30 and no harm results from said striking.

It is to be realized that I have described the structure on only one side of the can body forming machine and that there is a similar identical structure on the opposite side thereof. 7

In the operation of the device, the can body blanks 45,

having already been notched and slit at the corners thereof in the usual manner, travel in a horizontal plane towards the front of the machine as is usual with machines of this type. When they leave the bed of the machine, they enter the grooves 38 in the guide 36 and move forward in said guide until the edge of the can blank strikes the surface 28 of the forward vertical plate 27. As the edge of the body blank 45 strikes the plate, the blank is automatically adjusted to a position at right angles to the axis of the forming mandrel 11. The head 12 then descends, and the clamping portion 13 mounted thereon clamps the can body blank against the forming mandrel 11. The forming arms 14 and 15 are then operated to strip the edges of the can body blank from the grooves 38 and wrap the body blank around the forming mandrel 11 in the usual manner. At the same time the upper and lower edges of the can body blank are guided and constrained between the surface 28 of the plate 27 and the surface of the plate 19, whereby it is assured that the can when completed will be absolutely square and will not have any high points adjacent the seam. After the forming wings have wrapped the can around the mandrel in the usual manner, the mandrel is expanded to interlock the crimped portions of the edges thereof and the bumper bar 18 ascends and completes the crimping operation to form the vertical seam and complete the forming of the can body. The can is then moved along through the soldering station in a manner well known in the art and, therefore, detailed description thereof is not necessary herein.

From the detailed description herein it can be seen that I have provided means attachable to a can body forming machine of known type, whereby said means will guide and automatically adjust the can body blank to a proper position in order that the can when completed will be absolutely square and will not have any high points adjacent the seam therein.

While I have shown and described one specific form of my invention, it is not to be considered as limited thereto but rather is to be construed only as limited in the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a can body forming machine having a forming mandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising means adjacent the rear end of the forming mandrel for guiding one end of the can body blank as it is formed around the mandrel, and a pair of plates each mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis adjacent each side of the forming zone of the machine, whereby said plates are adapted to swing from an operative position adjacent the forward end of the mandrel to an inoperative position away from the operating zone of the machine, said plates when in said operative position being adapted to square and guide the other end of the blank as it is formed around the mandrel,

the distance between said guide means and said plates when in operative position being exactly equal to the height of the can body being formed, and means for releasably maintaining said plates in their operative positions.

2. In a can body forming machine having a forming mandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising means adjacent the rear end of the forming mandrel for guiding one end of the can body blank as it is formed around the mandrel, and a pair of plates adjacent the forward end of the mandrel against which the blank abuts as it enters the forming zone, for squaring and guiding the other end of said blank as it is formed around the mandrel, said plates each being mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis adjacent each side of the forming zone of the machine, whereby said plates are adapted to be swung from their operative position adjacent the forming mandrel to an inoperative position away from said forming zone, the distance between said guide means and said plates when in operamandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising means adjacent the rear end of the forming mandrel for guiding one end of the can body blank as it is formed around the mandrel, and a pair of plates adjacent the forward end of the mandrel against which the blank abuts as it enters the forming zone, for squaring and guiding the other end of said blank as it is formed around the mandrel, said plates each being mounted for pivotal movement about a vertical axis adjacent each side of the forming zone of the machine, whereby said plates are adapted to be swung from their operative position adjacent the forming mandrel to an inoperative position away from said forming zone, the distance between said guide means and said plates When in operative position being exactly equal to the height of the can body being formed, and guide members pivotally mounted to each of said plates and extending perpendicularly rearwardly therefrom, whereby said guide members may be pivoted downwardly with respect to said plates in order to clear the forming wings of the machine when said plates are pivoted away from their operative position, said guide members having horizontal grooves formed therein adapted to receive the side edges of the can body blank and guide said blank as it enters the operating zone of the machine, and means for releasably maintaining said plates in their operative positions.

4. In a can body forming machine having a forming mandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two body forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising a rear plate adjacent the rear end of the body forming mandrel, a pair of front plates adjacent the front of said mandrel, each of said front plates being pivotally mounted to the frame of said body forming machine whereby said plates may pivot in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis away from the operating zone of said machine in the event of a jam in said operating zone, said front and rear plates presenting opposed parallel surfaces spaced from each other a distance exactly equal to the height of the can body when said front plates are in operative position, said surfaces being in vertical planes perpendicular to the axis of said forming member, and means for releasably maintaining said front plates in their operative positions.

5. In a can body forming machine having a forming mandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two body forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising a rear plate adjacent the rear end of the body forming mandrel, a pair of front plates adjacent the front of said mandrel, each of said front plates being pivotally mounted to the frame of said body forming machine whereby said plates may pivot in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis away from the operating zone of said machine in the event of a jam in said operating zone, said front and rear plates presenting opposed parallel surfaces spaced from each other a distance exactly equal to the height of the can body when said forward plates are in operative position, said surfaces being in vertical planes perpendicular to the axis of said forming member, and guide members mounted to each of said front plates and extending perpendicularly rearwardly therefrom, said guide members having horizontal grooves formed therein adapted to receive the side edges of the can body blank and guide said blank as it enters the operating zone of the machine, and means for releasably maintaining said front plates in their operative positions.

6. In a can body forming machine having a forming mandrel, an upper holding clamp on which are pivoted two body forming wings, and a lower crimping member, the improvement comprising a rear plate adjacent the rear end of the body forming mandrel, a pair of front plates adjacent the front of said mandrel, each of said front plates being pivotally mounted to the frame of said body forming machine whereby said plates may pivot in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis away from the operating zone of said machine in the event of a jam in said operating zone, said front and rear plates presenting opposed parallel surfaces spaced from each other a distance exactly equal to the height of the can body when said forward plates are in operative position, said surfaces being in vertical planes perpendicular to the axis of said forming member, and guide members pivotally mounted to each of said plates and extending perpendicularly rearwardly therefrom, whereby said guide members may be pivoted downwardly with respect to said plates in order to clear the forming wings of the machine when said plates are pivoted away from their operative position, said guide members having horizontal grooves formed therein adapted to receive the side edges of the can body blank and guide said blank as it enters the operating zone of the machine, and means for releasably maintaining said front plates in their operative positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,883 Eldridge June 22, 1909 949,722 Abrams Feb. 15, 1910 1,306,449 Stowe June 10, 1919 1,389,349 Hake Aug. 30, 1921 1,518,868 Nelson Dec. 9, 1924 1,527,183 Gray Feb. 24, 1925 1,574,848 Peck Mar. 2, 1926 1,582,093 Stuart Apr. 27, 1926 2,184,089 Achtermann Dec. 19, 1939 2,236,848 Graham Apr. 1, 1941 2,277,519 Laxo Mar. 24, 1942 2,578,832 Pearson Dec. 18, 1951 

